Virtu Ferries slams Gozo Channel for awarding contract to 'inexperienced' company

The company which Gozo Channel has chosen to provide it with a Fast Ferry service hs no experience in high speed ferry service, has not owned ferries in the past, and lacks the necessary certifications to provide this service, Virtu Ferries said in a statement.

Gozo Channel had issued a tender asking for a 'partner' with the "necessary experience, expertise or resources to provide a fast ferry service,' listing a number of requirements.

Virtu Ferries had subsequently applied, but said that their offer was rejected in favour of the week-old company – which they said did not meet the requirements of the tender.

"Virtu Ferries believe that it is hugely regrettable that Gozo Channel will allow the operation of a 350 to 400 passenger High Speed Ferry to an operator with no prior experience at all in the shipping sector," the statement read.

"It is highly irresponsible of Gozo Channel to award a contract of this magnitude both in terms of its fundamental importance as a lifeline to the peripheral island of Gozo with the Maltese mainland as well as in terms of its substantial value which will be partly financed by public funds, to a company that as yet does not even have the basic International and Flag State certification to operate High Speed Ferries, let alone the five years experience to do so as required under the tender."

Virtu Ferries said that the bidder was required to comply with strict technical, operational, and financial requirements issued by the Ministry for Transport, Infrastructure & Capital Projects – which it claims that Virtu Ferries was in full compliance of, but was rejected nonetheless.

The tender, according to Virtu Ferries, also required the operator to have five years experience in ferry operation, and a minimum of 10 million in turnover and to provide audited financial statements for the previous year. "Thus, the successful candidate must be an existing and well-established local or foreign high speed ferry operator," Virtu Ferries said.

But the 'partner' chosen by Gozo Channel was set up on April 10 2018 – barely a week ago – with the shareholders allegedly having no prior experience.